Comments on: A Renovation at Trinity Green

By: Vicky

Vicky — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:04:25 +0000

Hi. Great blog. It’s fantastic how you can go from one subject to another. Just with a few clicks. Even if it’s yrs later. You can make a comment. It’s now Feb 2026! I have a Peabody flat in Covent Garden. I live right off Drury Lane. So it’s sooooo busy. Can be annoying! I suddenly thought about some beautiful almshouses in Central London. (There are some on Macklin St Cov Gar). I then saw this blog. I think everyone’s fascinated by the semi-secrecy of these lovely old buildings. I just hope these beautiful buildings, so steeped in interesting history, are safe. It breaks my heart when greedy property developers start circling. Like big, ugly vultures. Waiting to strip the carcus of such lovely architecture.

By: Moira Smith

Moira Smith — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 18:17:18 +0000

Just found this on ancestry my Grandfather x3 lived in 42 trinity with his sister .
He was a master mariner William Edward bennett . His sister lived with him Julia Ann batten . I will have to look up cemeteries. They are beautiful

By: Cynthia McLaglen

Cynthia McLaglen — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 17:58:21 +0000

I love Trinity Green Alms Houses. My father’s family, – His eight brothers and one sister, were all born in the Mile End Hospital from 1881 to 1901.
HOW DID I GET TO KNOW ABOUT IT? My father, who was a retired actor who made and lost a fortune in silent films and theatre, in England Germany and France after the First World War. He came back here with his two daughters,- me Cynthia, and my sister Katharine McLaglen, when we were in our early teens. He did not say much because he was getting his bearings. This is where he had spent his childhood; where the horse and cart would go up and down regularly to and from Spitalfields Market to get a whole sack of potatoes to feed the huge family. My father would say,”Would you believe that babas? We needed so many potatoes to feed the family?
Mile End Road had changed but not as much as now, with the “Jerkin” in the distance , and many people making a living from the Middle East and India with their stalls. In my father’s day the streets would have been full of carts and horses and carriages all milling about.
My father brought us to The Trinity Alms Houses and said, “Would you believe this Babas? These houses were built to help the old sailors who had been so courageous when they fought with Admiral Nelson and look what it says here, it was built by this man called Mudd at the end of the 18th century. See how beautiful it is! The ships have been there such a long time and have been respected. Even the bombs did not get them though they damaged part of the main building. We were very impressed at how old this was because we had seen films of the life of Lord Nelson and how courageous he was and what an amazing leader he was. Before this people had not looked after their old sailors but the attitude had changed and I think people would have been ashamed to see out heroic sailors begging in the streets.
My father told me his father had been born in Cape Town, in South Africa in 1851 and when he came to London in 1879-80 to study to be a cleric, he was horrified that the stories of London streets being paved with gold were not only untrue, but the poor were so much worse off than in Africa at that time, and the places they lived in and the children especially, made him want to more than ever, try to help in some way. He later befriended people like Dr Barnardo and many others who got the richer classes to give money, so that the beggars could be helped and the children’s lives might be better. My father said there were many women who had nothing, but they would scrub the front step and the wooden floors until they were spic and span. They had pride in that. Of course the Victorians had begun to made sewers with brick linings from the old streams which had disappeared underground like the Fleet. It was important to keep the drinking water separate from the sewers to prevent Cholera which caused some terribly large numbers of horrible deaths. These amazing sewers and also the trains, which eventually went underground were only some of the amazing feats of engineering that were achieved. My grandfather helped at St Martins in the Field especially at Christmas, by raising money for a big piece of meat to be purchased and roasted in the Crypt of the basement there. It is a coffee shop now for tourists. My Aunt Lilly and Grandpa would slice the meat and bread and a steaming cup of tea with volunteers to give some cheer at Christmas. This was in the tradition of St Martin who was a Roman soldier who became a Christian and the first act he made was to give half his cloak which he sliced off and gave it to a poor beggar. All the clerics at St Martins in the Field tried their best to emulate this caring attitude. Another place was at the Underground station at what was called Charring Cross and is now Embankment where beggars would collect. My grandfather helped to open The Silver Soup Kitchens there. I have tried to find remanants of that place but I think it was bombed in the wars. The oldest place there in Villiers St names after James First and Sixth of Scotland’s best friend Lord Villiers,- is a wine bar and restaurant called Gordons Wine Bar, which is the oldest one in the whole of London and frequented by actors who go there after their stage work is finished at night. There is nothing quite like it as the ceilings are so very low, the atmosphere is wonderful; the newspaper cuttings are framed, and are full of royalty from George V and Queen Mary, to newspapers showing the coronation from our present Queen Elizabeth they have candles on the tables. These places are the most historical from the Trinity Alms Houses to Gordon’s wine bar and I hope they continue to exist as they are so full of history, and “Thank you Eelke Jan Bles for renovating the Almshouses. I worry when I see that the steel and glass Library is stuck so close to it!

By: Jackie Easlea (nee Twydell)

Jackie Easlea (nee Twydell) — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 11:45:34 +0000

I was born in The London Hospital, Whitechapel in 1964 and we lived in Key Close, Cambridge Heath Road just around the corner from Trinity Green. My friends and I would play on the greens of Cleveland Estate as there were a few and still are I believe but I was always fascinated at the quaintness and beauty of Trinity Green and of course looking through the locked gates you couldn’t help but wonder why this little oasis sat in the middle of a very busy street. Thank you for the insight into the history and may it remain encapsulated in time for many more years.

By: John Laws

John Laws — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 19:55:31 +0000

We had William Laws of Great Yarmouth NFK (Master Mariner) at No. 16 in 1841 and his widow Elizabeth continued at no 35 from 1841 to 1867 their daughter Elizabeth at no 35 in 1861 but at no 20 till 1890 & daughter Anne died at No 15.

Henry Laws (Master Mariner) of St. Mary Walworth SRY -My G-G-Grandfather 1800-1880 was at No 16 from 1864-1880 his wife Mary Ann (formerly LOTHERINGTON of Woolwich KENT
died there in 1870
They must have known any number of the above

By: Patricia Webb

Patricia Webb — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 10:01:09 +0000

I have recently been researching my husbands family and came across Thomas Drew (1809-1896) who had been listed on various census records as a Coasting Pilot. In 1891 at age 83 his address was 34 Trinity Almshouse and he lived there with his 2nd wife Harriet who was in her 60’s. Imagine my surprise when I googled Trinity Almshouse to find such a wealth of information, and pictures. I live on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia, and am unlikely to be able to visit England in the near future, so I’m thrilled with what I’ve found.

By: Albert payne

Albert payne — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:51:43 +0000

I lived in No 49 from 1945 to 1956 .

By: Kimerley Brown

Kimerley Brown — Mon, 11 May 2015 11:07:33 +0000

My Husband’s 2nd great Grandfather, James Evan Thomas lived at 5 Trinity Alms House according to 1911 census. James was a retired Trinity Pilot pensioner.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 22:12:22 +0000

Gerry.. You wasn’t the ones who’s cat sneaked into mine somehow and had me believing that I had a ghost? God that was a little spooky, had no idea who was moving things and making strange noises. Thankfully just a sweet little cat. Thanks again for my bottle of Scotch.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 14:42:27 +0000

We used to live at no.12 between 1999-2001, was a special time. While we were there the ships at the entrance were stolen. It was all Grade 1 listed but the grounds were crumbling and no-one was keen to take responsibility. So good to see it all back in great shape.